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What is Dementia

Dementia is a pervasive and progressive deterioration of intellectual ability that occurs over an extended period of time. Dementia is NOT a part of the normal aging process.

Dementia often begins with symptoms of memory loss but is not limited to this. Memory loss is often the first and most obvious cognitive change noticed by a family member.

Other symptoms generally accompany dementia such as changes in a person's orientation with place and time, language functioning, loss of ability to think abstractly and solve problems, power to exercise good judgment, changes in visual and spatial ability, and changes in personality.

Dementia is an umbrella diagnosis which has several types. Alzheimer's Disease is one type of dementia. To better understand the term "dementia" is to say, all Alzheimer's Disease is dementia, but not all dementia is Alzheimer's.